Danilo is Rangers mentality monster as reborn striker reveals comeback secrets and talks up Martin's methods

Daily Record

6 days ago

Now the 26-year-old is lean and mean as he netted his side's first in their comeback 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough
Determined Danilo reckons he's a mentality monster after banishing his demons to propel himself back to prominence at Rangers.
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The Brazilian's first two years at Ibrox have been blighted by serious injury and the mental scarring which reduced him to becoming a peripheral figure under previous regimes.
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But now the 26-year-old is lean and mean as he netted his side's first in their comeback 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough to cap off a statement pre-season under Russell Martin which has him in the mix to lead the line in the Champions League second leg crunch against Panathinaikos.
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The £6m former Feyenoord striker has been grinding since before the end of the last campaign with a shortened pre-season. He is convinced he's primed and ready for his defining moment as a Rangers player.
He said: "Definitely. Especially with my great coaches in Brazil who helped me a lot. After the last game, before I went on vacation, I was already talking with some people to help me a lot. I knew new staff would come in, I wanted to be in my best shape and I also wanted to show my qualities and I'm ready, if I start or I'm on the bench, focus on the positive things.
"I have been working really hard on my pre-season, and also before my vacation. I have been here two years with ups and downs. I knew I would have to be ready, especially with the Scottish league. I tried to become stronger, especially mentally, the way they play (Scottish Premiership), there are a lot of duels.
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"My head is in a great place and the manager is trying to talk to me a lot, being professional as well, it's just helping a lot, especially the way he wants to play. It's just been good for myself."
Danilo reckons his rediscovered belief is twofold - emboldened by the injury blues not getting him down and emboldened by the extra efforts he's putting into his game.
He added: "Yes. I have been unlucky, in some situations. It's just a game, if you get tackled, it's not about the physical, things happen but if you put in your mind that you can turn things around then you can work hard then other things will come.
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"Right now I feel physically better, I feel my body is much better as well, I am keeping up my nutrition and eating well. That will help a lot in the future to avoid those injuries. Then hopefully I just stay fit and try to help the team as much as I can."
Danilo is ticking off personal milestones with every passing week and a crunching tackle he was on the receiving end of an industrial tackle from Dael Fry which resulted in John Beaton reaching for the yellow card.
The forward was left curled up in agony with home supporters within Ibrox gasping in unison. However, the new Danilo is made of sterner stuff.
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And while he doesn't welcome being wiped out he understands it's something he must withstand with plenty more industrial challenges awaiting him in the Scottish Premiership.
He said: "It was scary, actually, at the time when I got hurt, thank god nothing happened, the thing is I knew I would have to come through a challenge. I told him 'it's a friendly game', if it was a real game then you know you wouldn't get a red card straight away. It was a good challenge, a test for myself, you don't want to risk it, especially if it's a friendly game. I know in a real game in the Scottish league what might happen. I have to be ready for that. It will be alright."
He expects his seismic pre-season to pay off after finding the net against Barnsley, Dunfermline and Boro plus chipping in with a hat-trick of assists as Neil Lennon's Pars got an up close look at a player reborn.
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Danilo added: "It's huge. Especially if you score, if you have a good pre-season with a couple of goals. What I put in my head, sometimes, is if I just have one chance or two then I have to be sharp for what is coming, whether I start or not. I have to be ready for whatever comes. It has been a good pre-season."
And he reckons Martin's style of play which comes with a cavalry of supporting players helping out the main striker.
He believes his manager's vision is perfect for his best attributes. Now Danilo insists he's living in the moment of a Rangers set-up where strike pals Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igamane have been linked with summer exits.
He said: "The style of play just suits me a lot. I like to try and help the team, the link-up and trying to be there and build-up from the back, it's helping the strikers a lot, the midfielders, everyone is around, you are just making things better, the build-up and then going to the final third. Everyone is trying to be connected together. It's good."